Linked files

[David French]

I have a user with a VLOOKUP to another file.
It is apparently necessary to open the source file so the information gets
updated.
Is this correct or is there something wrong. When the target file is opened
it asks if the links should update the information but they don't seem to
unless the data source file is opened.

Dave French

 

[Dave Peterson]

If you're using just a plain old =vlookup() formula, then it should work with
the workbook closed.

This kind of formula has always worked ok for me:

=VLOOKUP(A1,'C:\My Documents\excel\[Book3.xls]Sheet1'!$A:$B,2,FALSE)

But a couple of warnings:

If the value coming back is long text, you'll only see 255 characters with the
workbook closed.

Some formulas don't work with closed workbooks. If your =vlookup() formula
include the =indirect() function, you'll get a #ref! error when the "sending"
workbook is closed (after the first recalculation).